The minute I uttered the word “Halloween” a sudden hush fell. Now, besides having a love for ghost stories, and gathering out in the woods to roast hot dogs, and make s'mores that decadent summer time treat that a heavenly blend of crunchy and sweet and gooey. Yes, beside having a love for ghost stories and good camp food, we've also had our fair share of real life paranormal encounters. I for example have been visited by the ghost of my late mother. Jamie is supposed to have been hunted by a demon, and Daisy's supposed to have the gift to see spirits.
The other remembers not present, including Taylor, is supposed to have a ghost living in her closet, Matthew is supposed to have witnessed first hand the Battle of Benton played out in ghostly fashion. Ben is supposed to have encountered the ghost of a lost boy in the woods. And Cerridwen swears up and down she shares Daisy's gift and can not only see spirits, but things that are weak mortal minds could not possibly start to understand. Heck she even claims that our local Episcopal Church was haunted by the ghost of a little girl who had died in some fire seventy or so years ago.
Anyway, for all of us, Halloween was a very special holiday. It was a time for us to cut lose and go full hog as my sister would say. And oddly enough our town of Benton held a few Halloween celebrations, one was the “Safe Halloween” event that took place down at the local park. Each year some brave or foolish tween or teen would volunteer to be strapped into a replica dunking stool. Business would then donate to see the person plunged into the ice cold waters. I think it was twenty five dollars a dunk.
I should know, I had volunteered for the ducking stool my freshman year. I remember I had worn a Sailor Mercury cosplay and the water had been darn near freezing. My sister was sick that year with a cold. I also think that was the year Jamie had been given a very public gunging by Heather Ford. Who would soon become my second mom. Talk about a strange twist of fate.
That date of “Safe Halloween” of course had been moved to a week before Halloween now. Because the down decided to host its own Halloween celebration on Halloween Proper and still wanted to keep the later. Cerridwen too had been gunged at that celebration. That had been my Sophomore year, I heard about it from Lily. I had been out of town that day, visiting Aunt Isabella and Uncle William.
Anyway, Halloween is a big money day. Think about it, people spend truckloads of money on fancy decorations, costumes, candy and props. And well my sister wanted to cash in on, so this year she decided to host an “Haunted Farm” thing on the back forty acres of land that had set untouched since Grandpaw Brewer Had passed away back in twenty eleven.
“So, since its Halloween time again. My sister had decided to host a few 'Haunted Farm' tours. Like she wants to do at least one. Problem is, were kind of short on help.” I said peering toward Daisy and Jamie. “And I was wondering if you two would like to help? I'm going to ask the others when I see them. I just want to know I could count on you two.” I said in an almost pleading tone of voice.
Jamie was the first to respond.
“Sure, I'll love to help. Plus dad's thinking about opening up a 'Spirit of Halloween' thing down in one of the abandoned warehouse downtown. You know the one on the other side of Main Street, the one on Mound Street? Its right across from the railroad station. Can't miss it. Plenty of parking too.” Jamie said as she nodded her head.
“Is it beside the ice plant and the bottling plant?” I asked. Jamie had piqued my curiosity. Benton for its small size did have a surprising number of thriving businesses.
“Yep! Right beside William Ice House and Holmes Bottling Works. Both still in operation and both locally owned.” Jamie said. I could tell the gears were starting to turn in her head. A coy look crossed her face. “And since Kayla's putting on this spooky tour, maybe she'll consider buying everything from that pop up store my dad's going to open.”
“Sure! Heck were family girl, almost family and family supports family. I'll mention something to Kayla after church this afternoon. She kind of wants to have a after church family date type thing.” I said blushing a little. “Heather's busy moving her stuff in. You know from apartment in Clinton to are little rural homestead. And it's been kind of trying on all of us, not only the drive, but the loading and unloading.”
“I know.” Jamie said giggling. “You guys have been working poor Matt and Ben to the bones. And Daisy too!” She shifted her blue eyes toward Daisy who was putting away the third doughnut of the morning. I'm still amazed that the girl can just eat like a little piggy and not gain an ounce of weight. With me it was just the opposite. It seemed if I ate one slice of pizza, I would gain a pound. Not really, but it felt like that.
“Hey! We paid them. Like eight dollars a hour!” I said blushing a little. “Plus it was kind of hot, watching Matthew work. Like when they started moving those big pieces, he took off his shirt and o' girl did you see his best. That boy was cute.” I paused. “And don't you say anything. I know you were checking out your boyfriend too.” I teased. And much to my delight I watched Jamie's face flush with color. Daisy on the other hand was going for her fourth doughnut and her second cup of coffee.
“You guys are weird.” Daisy said with a sigh. “All you two did was stand around and watch Ben and Matthew do a little heavy lifting. While Cerridwen and I did most of the packing and lifting.” And with that she went for her fifth doughnut. Not that I'm complaining. I had brought two big boxes, because I had been expecting a bigger crowd.
Jamie rolled her eyes at this. “Right, and in the end Heather decided both you and Cerridwen deserved a little more than eight dollars a hour. I think she slipped you guys sixty dollars or something. While Madeline and I only got like forty something dollars.” Jamie paused. “And we were supervising you two dorks.”
Daisy said nothing and only rolled her shoulders.
“Anyway back on topic.” I said. “So does anybody have any major plans for October? Family trips? Hunting trips? Fishing Trips?” I asked as I peered toward Jamie and Daisy. Both shook their heads.
“You know, the boys are going to be hunting right?” Jamie said after a long moment of thinking. “Its archery season. Getting our boyfriends to volunteer for anything would be like pulling teeth. Not till one of them kills a deer at least.”
“True. Also is anybody going to volunteer for that yearly dunking stool thing?” I asked.
And Jamie surprised us all by slowly raising her hand.
“Brewer farms will donate twenty five dollars.” I said, smirking a little.
“Potter's Mercantile gone and donated twenty five more dollars.” Jamie said, forcing a little.
“I'm sure Sweet Magnolia would also donate twenty five dollars.” Daisy said helping herself to another doughnut at this point I've decided that the girl was going to gorge herself on the sweet treats and drown her sorrow in coffee.
“Don't forget about Croft Veterinary Clinic.” I chimed in. “Twenty five dollars their.” I paused. “That's enough dunking. And I'm sure Matthew and Ben can get Sunflower Food store to donate another twenty five dollars.”
“Whitethorn Family Hair Salon too!” Chimed in Daisy. Who it seemed had had her fill of doughnuts and coffee. Or maybe she had noticed me looking at her, smirking. I pushed the half empty box toward her, she swallowed hard and helped herself to another.
“Wow. So many people want to see me get dunked.. really girl, you going to eat all those doughnuts! You're going to turn into a little piggy!” Scolded Jamie in a joking tone of voice. “Life is totally unfair, some girls get all the luck, they can eat, eat and eat and not gain one ounce of weight. Others just gain ten pounds by looking at a slice of Pizza.”
Daisy pouted a little.
“Wow!” I said blinking. “That's going to the perfect costume for you!” I said peering toward Daisy. “Peppa the Pig!” I said snapping my fingers together.
Jamie busted out laughing. A few seconds later I did too. Daisy though just folded her arms across her chest and set her lips into a pout. If looks could kill, she would have killed me fifteen times over.
“Aww don't pout sis.” Jamie said, throwing her arms around Daisy's thin shoulders. “Were just teasing you, we're not going to force you to be anything. I was kind of hoping you'll volunteer for the ducking stool too.” She said hugging our group pet. Okay that was a bit mean, but it was cute watching Jamie hug Daisy and a few minutes later I found myself moving over to hug her too. Daisy was a pest, but she was family. And family stuck together.
“I'm not popular enough!” Daisy whined after being held for a few minutes.
“I don't know.” I said, smirking a little.
“Why don't you go ahead and just volunteer.” Jamie said, smirking a little. “Trust me, people can't donate if you don't volunteer.” Jamie cackled again. “And if you don't volunteer, you would never know how popular you are.”
I was just about to open my mouth when I heard the chiming of the Bells of All Saints Catholic church. The Catholic church holds two masses, one at eight o' clock and one at ten. So the summing of All Saint's bell was something of a warning to us that our own Mass was about to take in.
“Any of you serving today?” I asked.
“Fr. Percy has me down for being the acolyte.” Daisy said.
“Does Fr. Percy know you're in girl mode?” Jamie asked.
“Nope. And Fr. Percy should count himself lucky that he has so many acolyte's willing to help out. Considering the size of St. Mary's, I doubt he can afford to be picky.” She paused and shoved another doughnut into her mouth.
I nodded my head. Another thing about us, all of us took turns serving as acolytes at the local Episcopal Church, including Cerridwen, who did it just because she wanted to be included. Cerridwen and her family are Pagans and belong to a small colony of around one hundred Pagan families that live in that area, fittingly called Haunted Hollow by many. Many of the Pagan's families tend to keep to themselves. But since Fr. Percy took over St. Mary's, a good many seem to attend services, a few have even joined. I think Cerridwen might want to join Rowan; her father seems to be good friends with Fr. Percy and the two joke around a lot. Pandora, her mother, never one for formality calls him “Kiddo” for reasons neither have explained to me.
“So, you and I are serving together?” I asked Daisy who at this time had shoved another doughnut into her mouth and had washed it down with another cup of coffee.
Daisy nodded her head.
“Great, you better not fall asleep on me! I know you stuffed yourself with donuts!”
Daisy was just about to respond when I cleared my voice and rose up. “I think that a good stopping place. Jamie, I'll be telling Kayla about the pop up shop and I'll make sure she buys everything from your family story. As you said family supports family. Daisy, please consider volunteering for the ducking stool, and Jamie if you're going to volunteer, don't do what I did. Don't color and cut your hair to match the character.”
We all had a giggle at that.
“And.. can I count on you two to be there to help Kayla and I with her Halloween Project?”
“You can count on us!” Jamie and Daisy said in unison. “And we'll pass the word along too!”
I nodded my head.
“Thanks guys, and so with that I call this meeting of the doughnut club to a end! Hope to see you all next Saturday night at the old camp ground and back her on Sunday morning for coffee and doughnuts. That is, if Daisy does not eat them all!” And with that another weekly meeting of the Doughnut Club came to a close and another week in my life started.
